This invention relates to a method and apparatus for controlling engine and brake torque to selectively engage a front drive axle to provide all wheel drive under optimal conditions.
Vehicles utilize all wheel drive systems to achieve improved vehicle control under poor road conditions. All wheel drives for trucks equipped with geared front axle clutched transfer cases are normally engaged and disengaged by a vehicle operator or are engaged full time. Engagement systems can be manually controlled by the operator or can be automatically controlled to engage and disengage the front drive axle. Typically automatic control systems utilize electronic controllers that monitor front and rear axle speeds. When the rotational speed of both the front and rear axles are within a certain range, the controller automatically initiates a shift to engage the front axle.
This automatic controlled engagement and disengagement of the front axle is typically initiated independently from the ground conditions. Thus, engagement of the front axle may not be required or may be poorly timed to maintain vehicle tractive effort. Unnecessary engagement of the front axle results in additional wear of the components, which is undesirable. Further, poorly time shifts can damage transfer case and axle components resulting in vehicle downtime and increased costs for replacement components.
Thus, it is desirable to have an improved control system for axle engagement that takes into account input and output shaft speeds of the transfer case as well as ground conditions to provide optimal axle engagement shifts.
An all wheel drive system includes a transfer case assembly that is transfers driving torque from a vehicle engine to vehicle drive axles. The transfer case includes an input shaft that receives power source output torque, a rear axle output shaft for transferring driving torque from the transfer case to the rear drive axle, and a front axle output shaft that is selectively engaged to the front drive axle under predetermined conditions to achieve all wheel drive. A controller determines the optimal conditions for the engagement and disengagement of the front axle.
In the preferred embodiment, the controller determines if there is wheel slippage by monitoring the various wheel speeds of the axles. If there is wheel slippage, the controller determines whether or not the input shaft and the rear axle output shaft are both within a predetermined speed range. If the input shaft and the rear axle output shaft are within the predetermined speed range and there is wheel slip, the controller initiates engagement of the front drive axle. If the input shaft and the rear axle output shaft are not within the predetermined speed range, the controller controls the engine output torque and/or wheel brake torque to bring the input shaft and the rear axle output shaft both within the predetermined rotational speed range.
A typical vehicle drive train includes an internal combustion engine or other power source, transmission, transfer case, front drive axle with wheel brakes, and rear drive axle with wheel brakes. The preferred inventive method for coupling the transfer case to the front drive axle during wheel slip to achieve all wheel drive includes the following steps. The input shaft of the transfer case is coupled to the power source that produces an output torque. The rear drive axle is coupled to a rear output shaft of the transfer case. A sensor system measures wheel speed and the controller determines whether or not there is wheel slip. At least one of the output torque or braking torque is controlled to bring the input shaft and the rear output shaft within the predetermined speed range. The front output shaft of the transfer case is coupled to the front drive axle to achieve all wheel drive when the input shaft and the rear output shaft are within the predetermined speed range.
The subject invention provides an improved control system for axle engagement and disengagement that takes into account input and output shaft speeds of the transfer case as well as ground conditions to provide optimal axle engagement shifts. These and other features of the present invention can be best understood from the following specification and drawings, the following of which is a brief description.